diff -Nru a/Makefile.am b/Makefile.am
--- a/Makefile.am	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
+++ b/Makefile.am	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -28,10 +28,10 @@
 	score.c send.c sendlib.c signal.c sort.c \
 	status.c system.c thread.c charset.c history.c lib.c \
 	muttlib.c editmsg.c utf8.c mbyte.c wcwidth.c \
-	url.c ascii.c mutt_idna.c
+	url.c ascii.c mutt_idna.c cache.c
 
 mutt_LDADD = @MUTT_LIB_OBJECTS@ @LIBOBJS@ $(LIBIMAP) $(MUTTLIBS) \
-	$(INTLLIBS) $(LIBICONV)
+	$(INTLLIBS) $(LIBICONV) -lgdbm
 
 mutt_DEPENDENCIES = @MUTT_LIB_OBJECTS@ @LIBOBJS@ $(LIBIMAPDEPS) \
 	$(INTLDEPS)
diff -Nru a/cache.c b/cache.c
--- /dev/null	Wed Dec 31 16:00:00 1969
+++ b/cache.c	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -0,0 +1,400 @@
+#if HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif /* HAVE_CONFIG_H */
+
+#include <gdbm.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include "mutt.h"
+#include "mime.h"
+#include "mx.h"
+#include "lib.h"
+
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_int(unsigned int i, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	safe_realloc(&d, *off + sizeof(int));
+	memcpy(d + *off, &i, sizeof(int));
+	(*off) += sizeof(int);
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_int(unsigned int *i, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	memcpy(i, d + *off, sizeof(int));
+	(*off) += sizeof(int);
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_char(char *c, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int size;
+
+	if (c == NULL) {
+		size = 0;
+		d = dump_int(size, d, off);
+		return d;
+	}
+
+	size = strlen(c) + 1;
+	d = dump_int(size, d, off);
+	safe_realloc(&d, *off + size);
+	memcpy(d + *off, c, size);
+	*off += size;
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_char(char **c, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int size;
+	restore_int(&size, d, off);
+
+	if (size == 0) {
+		*c = NULL;
+		return;
+	}
+
+	*c = safe_malloc(size);
+	memcpy(*c, d + *off, size);
+	*off += size;
+}
+
+static void
+skip_char(unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int size;
+	restore_int(&size, d, off);
+	*off += size;
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_address(ADDRESS *a, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter = 0;
+	unsigned int start_off = *off;
+
+	d = dump_int(0xdeadbeaf, d, off);
+
+	while (a) {
+#ifdef EXACT_ADDRESS
+		d = dump_char(a->val, d, off);
+#endif
+		d = dump_char(a->personal, d, off);
+		d = dump_char(a->mailbox, d, off);
+		d = dump_int(a->group, d, off);
+		a = a->next;
+		counter++;
+	}
+
+	memcpy(d + start_off, &counter, sizeof(int));
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_address(ADDRESS **a, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter;
+
+	restore_int(&counter, d, off);
+
+	while (counter) {
+		*a = safe_malloc(sizeof(ADDRESS));
+#ifdef EXACT_ADDRESS
+		restore_char(&(*a)->val, d, off);
+#endif
+		restore_char(&(*a)->personal, d, off);
+		restore_char(&(*a)->mailbox, d, off);
+		restore_int((unsigned int *)&(*a)->group, d, off);
+		a = &(*a)->next;
+		counter--;
+	}
+
+	*a = NULL;
+	return;
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_list(LIST *l, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter = 0;
+	unsigned int start_off = *off;
+
+	d = dump_int(0xdeadbeaf, d, off);
+
+	while (l) {
+		d = dump_char(l->data, d, off);
+		l = l->next;
+		counter++;
+	}
+
+	memcpy(d + start_off, &counter, sizeof(int));
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_list(LIST **l, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter;
+
+	restore_int(&counter, d, off);
+
+	while (counter) {
+		*l = safe_malloc(sizeof(LIST));
+		restore_char(&(*l)->data, d, off);
+		l = &(*l)->next;
+		counter--;
+	}
+
+	*l = NULL;
+	return;
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_parameter(PARAMETER *p, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter = 0;
+	unsigned int start_off = *off;
+
+	d = dump_int(0xdeadbeaf, d, off);
+
+	while (p) {
+		d = dump_char(p->attribute, d, off);
+		d = dump_char(p->value, d, off);
+		p = p->next;
+		counter++;
+	}
+
+	memcpy(d + start_off, &counter, sizeof(int));
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_parameter(PARAMETER **p, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned int counter;
+
+	restore_int(&counter, d, off);
+
+	while (counter) {
+		*p = safe_malloc(sizeof(PARAMETER));
+		restore_char(&(*p)->attribute, d, off);
+		restore_char(&(*p)->value, d, off);
+		p = &(*p)->next;
+		counter--;
+	}
+
+	*p = NULL;
+	return;
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_body(BODY *c, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	safe_realloc(&d, *off + sizeof(BODY));
+	memcpy(d + *off, c, sizeof(BODY));
+	*off += sizeof(BODY);
+
+	d = dump_char(c->xtype, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(c->subtype, d, off);
+
+	d = dump_parameter(c->parameter, d, off);
+
+	d = dump_char(c->description, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(c->form_name, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(c->filename, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(c->d_filename, d, off);
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_body(BODY *c, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	memcpy(c, d + *off, sizeof(BODY));
+	*off += sizeof(BODY);
+
+	restore_char(& c->xtype, d, off);
+	restore_char(& c->subtype, d, off);
+
+	restore_parameter(& c->parameter, d, off);
+
+	restore_char(& c->description, d, off);
+	restore_char(& c->form_name, d, off);
+	restore_char(& c->filename, d, off);
+	restore_char(& c->d_filename, d, off);
+}
+
+static unsigned char *
+dump_envelope(ENVELOPE *e, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	d = dump_address(e->return_path, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->from, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->to, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->cc, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->bcc, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->sender, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->reply_to, d, off);
+	d = dump_address(e->mail_followup_to, d, off);
+
+	d = dump_char(e->subject, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(e->real_subj, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(e->message_id, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(e->supersedes, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(e->date, d, off);
+	d = dump_char(e->x_label, d, off);
+
+	d = dump_list(e->references, d, off);
+	d = dump_list(e->in_reply_to, d, off);
+	d = dump_list(e->userhdrs, d, off);
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+static void
+restore_envelope(ENVELOPE *e, unsigned char *d, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	restore_address(& e->return_path, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->from, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->to, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->cc, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->bcc, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->sender, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->reply_to, d, off);
+	restore_address(& e->mail_followup_to, d, off);
+
+	restore_char(& e->subject, d, off);
+	restore_char(& e->real_subj, d, off);
+	restore_char(& e->message_id, d, off);
+	restore_char(& e->supersedes, d, off);
+	restore_char(& e->date, d, off);
+	restore_char(& e->x_label, d, off);
+
+	restore_list(& e->references, d, off);
+	restore_list(& e->in_reply_to, d, off);
+	restore_list(& e->userhdrs, d, off);
+}
+
+
+/* This function transforms a header into a char so that it is useable by
+ * gdbm_store */
+
+#if HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+int
+mutt_hcache_charset_matches(unsigned char *d)
+{
+	unsigned int off = sizeof(struct timeval);
+	char *charset = NULL;
+
+	restore_char(&charset, d, &off);
+
+	return (0 == mutt_strcmp(charset, Charset));
+}
+#endif /* HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET */
+
+void *
+mutt_hcache_dump(HEADER *h, unsigned int *off)
+{
+	unsigned char *d = NULL;
+	*off             = 0;
+	struct timeval now;
+
+	d = safe_malloc(sizeof(struct timeval));
+	gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
+	memcpy(d, &now, sizeof(struct timeval));
+	*off += sizeof(struct timeval);
+
+#if HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+	d = dump_char(Charset, d, off);
+#endif /* HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET */
+
+
+	safe_realloc(&d, *off + sizeof(HEADER));
+	memcpy(d + *off, h, sizeof(HEADER));
+	*off += sizeof(HEADER);
+
+	d = dump_envelope(h->env, d, off);
+	d = dump_body(h->content, d, off);
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+HEADER *
+mutt_hcache_restore(unsigned char *d, HEADER **oh)
+{
+	unsigned int off = 0;
+	HEADER *h        = mutt_new_header();
+
+	/* skip timeval */
+	off += sizeof(struct timeval);
+
+#if HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+	skip_char(d, &off);
+#endif /* HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET */
+
+	memcpy(h, d + off, sizeof(HEADER));
+	off += sizeof(HEADER);
+
+	h->env = mutt_new_envelope();
+	restore_envelope(h->env, d, &off);
+
+	h->content = mutt_new_body();
+	restore_body(h->content, d, &off);
+
+	h->old  = (*oh)->old;
+	h->path = safe_strdup((*oh)->path);
+	mutt_free_header (oh);
+
+	return h;
+}
+
+GDBM_FILE
+mutt_hcache_open(char *path)
+{
+	GDBM_FILE db = NULL;
+
+	if (! path) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	db = gdbm_open(path, 0, GDBM_WRCREAT, 00600, NULL);
+	if (db) {
+		return db;
+	}
+
+	/* if rw failed try ro */
+	return gdbm_open(path, 0, GDBM_READER, 00600, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+mutt_hcache_close(GDBM_FILE db)
+{
+	if (db) {
+		gdbm_close(db);
+	}
+}
+
+datum
+mutt_hcache_fetch(GDBM_FILE db, datum key)
+{
+	if (! db) {
+		datum ret = {NULL, 0};
+		return ret;
+	}
+	return gdbm_fetch(db, key);
+}
+
+int
+mutt_hcache_store(GDBM_FILE db, datum key, datum data)
+{
+	if (! db) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+	return gdbm_store(db, key, data, GDBM_REPLACE);
+}
diff -Nru a/globals.h b/globals.h
--- a/globals.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
+++ b/globals.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
 WHERE char *Locale;
 WHERE char *MailcapPath;
 WHERE char *Maildir;
+WHERE char *MaildirCache;
 WHERE char *MhFlagged;
 WHERE char *MhReplied;
 WHERE char *MhUnseen;
diff -Nru a/init.h b/init.h
--- a/init.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
+++ b/init.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -981,6 +981,11 @@
   ** \fBDON'T CHANGE THIS SETTING UNLESS YOU ARE REALLY SURE WHAT YOU ARE
   ** DOING!\fP
   */
+  { "maildir_cache", DT_PATH, R_NONE, UL &MaildirCache, 0 },
+  /*
+  ** .pp
+  ** Path to the maildir cache file. If unset no cache will be used.
+  */
   { "maildir_trash", DT_BOOL, R_NONE, OPTMAILDIRTRASH, 0 },
   /*
   ** .pp
diff -Nru a/mh.c b/mh.c
--- a/mh.c	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
+++ b/mh.c	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@
 #include <string.h>
 #include <utime.h>
 
+#include <gdbm.h>
+
 struct maildir
 {
   HEADER *h;
@@ -779,14 +781,21 @@
   return r;
 }
 
-
 /* 
  * This function does the second parsing pass for a maildir-style
  * folder.
  */
 
+static size_t
+maildir_cache_keylen(const char *fn)
+{
+	const char * p = strchr (fn, ':');
+	return p ? (size_t) (p - fn) : strlen (fn);
+}
+
 void maildir_delayed_parsing (CONTEXT * ctx, struct maildir *md)
 {
+#if 0
   struct maildir *p;
   char fn[_POSIX_PATH_MAX];
 
@@ -799,6 +808,59 @@
       else
 	mutt_free_header (&p->h);
     }
+#else
+	struct maildir *p;
+	void *db = NULL;
+	char fn[_POSIX_PATH_MAX];
+	datum key;
+	datum data;
+	unsigned int size;
+	struct timeval *when = NULL;
+	struct stat lastchanged;
+	char *charset = NULL;
+
+	db = mutt_hcache_open(MaildirCache);
+
+	for (p = md; p; p = p->next) {
+		if ( !(p && p->h && !p->header_parsed)) {
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		snprintf(fn, sizeof(fn), "%s/%s", ctx->path, p->h->path + 4);
+		key.dptr  = fn;
+		key.dsize = maildir_cache_keylen(fn);
+		data      = mutt_hcache_fetch(db, key);
+		when      = (struct timeval *) data.dptr;
+
+		snprintf(fn, sizeof (fn), "%s/%s", ctx->path, p->h->path);
+		stat(fn, &lastchanged);
+
+		if (data.dptr    != NULL
+		 && lastchanged.st_mtime <= when->tv_sec
+#if HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET
+		 && mutt_hcache_charset_matches(data.dptr)
+#endif /* HAVE_LANGINFO_CODESET */
+		 ) {
+			p->h = mutt_hcache_restore((unsigned char *)data.dptr, &p->h);
+			FREE(& data.dptr);
+			maildir_parse_flags(p->h, fn);
+
+		} else if (maildir_parse_message (ctx->magic, fn, p->h->old, p->h)) {
+			maildir_parse_flags(p->h, fn);
+			p->header_parsed = 1;
+			if (db) {
+				/* only try this if db connection is available */
+				data.dptr = mutt_hcache_dump(p->h, &size); 
+				data.dsize = size;
+				mutt_hcache_store(db, key, data);
+				FREE(& data.dptr);
+			}
+		} else {
+			mutt_free_header (&p->h);
+		}
+	}
+	mutt_hcache_close(db);
+#endif
 }
 
 
diff -Nru a/protos.h b/protos.h
--- a/protos.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
+++ b/protos.h	Mon Feb  9 16:13:05 2004
@@ -99,6 +99,19 @@
 ENVELOPE *mutt_read_rfc822_header (FILE *, HEADER *, short, short);
 HEADER *mutt_dup_header (HEADER *);
 
+#define USE_HCACHE 1
+#if USE_HCACHE
+#include <gdbm.h>
+GDBM_FILE mutt_hcache_open(char *path);
+void mutt_hcache_close(GDBM_FILE db);
+void * mutt_hcache_dump(HEADER *h, unsigned int *off);
+HEADER * mutt_hcache_restore(unsigned char *d, HEADER **oh);
+datum mutt_hcache_fetch(GDBM_FILE db, datum key);
+int mutt_hcache_store(GDBM_FILE db, datum key, datum data);
+void mutt_hcache_restore_charset(char **c, unsigned char *d);
+#endif /* USE_HCACHE */
+
+
 ATTACHPTR **mutt_gen_attach_list (BODY *, int, ATTACHPTR **, short *, short *, int, int);
 
 time_t mutt_decrease_mtime (const char *, struct stat *);